Provision of jobs in tribal districts top priority: PM

Imran launches Naya Pakistan Housing Programme registration phase II

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that the people of the merged tribal areas had rendered huge sacrifices for the country and faced difficulties; therefore, the government had prioritised uplift of the areas with the provision of job opportunities to the youth.

The prime minister was chairing a meeting to review progress on development projects in the tribal districts.

The meeting was attended by Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, senators Hidayatullah, Aurangzeb Khan, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Momin Afridi and Sajjad Turi, PM Office media wing in a news release said.

The meeting took stock of the uplift projects and the process on the administrative matters after the merger of these former tribal areas.
The prime minister observed that registration of all businesses and broadening of the tax net were indispensable for the economic prosperity of the country.

However, he said, in the merged areas, the imposition of tax rate should be made after considering the ground realities and the issues faced by the people.

The prime minister said about half of the country's income was being spent on the payment of loans and interest. It was imperative to document the economic activities and increase the tax net for the economic stability.

Also, the prime minister launched the second phase of registration for the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme to provide affordable housing facility to the low-income segments of the country.

The prime minister also launched a web portal (www.nphp.nadra.gov.pk) by pushing the button from where the applicants would be able to register themselves while being at home without having to visit any office.

The prime minister said the housing authority would introduce one window operations to facilitate the applicants. He said the housing project would help uplift 40 other allied industries, besides providing ample opportunities to those who wanted to invest in those schemes.

In a separate meeting former skipper of the national cricket team Shahid Afridi, who called on the prime minister at the PM Office, Imran appreciated the private sector's interest in different welfare projects and said the government would facilitate and support the sector to further encourage its participation in such projects.
Shahid Afridi apprised the prime minister that the private sector was showing keen interest in the public welfare projects.

Also, the prime minister chaired a high level meeting in which relevant issues of the Aviation Division, especially ensuring better arrangements at the airports were discussed.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Advisor on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Hussain, Secretary Aviation Shah Rukh Nusrat and other officials, PM Office Media Wing in a press release said.

With additional input from APP